Meriden Police Seek Person Of Interest In Killing

Meriden police have named Frankie Resto as a person of interest in the fatal…

June 30, 2012|By DAVID OWENS, dowens@courant.com, The Hartford Courant

MERIDEN —

Police have released the name and photograph of a man they are describing as a person of interest in the robbery and murder of Ibrahim Ghazal, the owner of the EZ Mart convenience store.

They also released a video of the robbery captured by the store's surveillance cameras.

Ghazal was shot and killed at about 1:30 a.m. Wednesday after turning cash from the register over to the robber. After he takes the cash, the robber raises the gun and fires into Ghazal's chest.

Meriden detectives said they want to talk to Frankie Resto about the killing. He is described as a light-skinned Hispanic man, 5-feet-7, 190 to 200 pounds. Police said Resto has a violent criminal history and there's a warrant for his arrest charging him with violation of probation. Bail on the warrant is $100,000.

Police said they do not know where Resto is, but he has had addresses in Meriden and New Britain.

Anyone with information about Resto, or who knows where he is, is asked to call their local police or Meriden Det. Dean Benoit at 203-630-6297.

There is a $5,000 reward for information that leads to the arrest of the killer.

Ghazal was working in his store inside the Citgo gas station at 271 East Main St. when the robbery occurred. Arriving police found him suffering from a gunshot wound. He was rushed to MidState Medical Center in Meriden, where he was pronounced dead.

A witness who was inside the store at the time of the shooting told police a man entered the store with a gun and demanded money. The witness said that once the man got the money, he shot Ghazal in the chest and left.